


Tattooed Hands

by Blueyedgurl



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, F/M, Matchmaking, Meddling, Meet-Cute, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:21:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26683600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blueyedgurl/pseuds/Blueyedgurl
Summary: Ben is a new customer at Rey's coffee shop.  She think's he's cute and marvels at the tattoo on his arm that is complimentary to hers.  When he asks her out she says yes and find that they have the same meddlesome tattoo artist and friend.Inspired by art by Dudakka and  @galacticidiots post
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 16
Kudos: 119
Collections: Galactic Idiots Collection





	Tattooed Hands

**Author's Note:**

> https://twitter.com/dudakka_/status/1329735208317423617?s=19
> 
> Link to the art ^^^

Rey was busy cleaning off tables when the tall guy came in for the third day in a row. The last two days he wore a suit but his hair long enough to brush his shoulders, and she could see the marks in his ears from piercings. Today however he was wearing a tight-fitting black T-shirt and she couldn’t help the way her eyes traveled over his muscled shoulders to trail down to the tattoos down his arms.

The style was familiar, and she wondered if they went to the same shop. She noticed that he had a similar style tattoo of a hand reaching out on his forearm and she was amused by the idea that her own hand tattoo might be reaching out for his. She sighed at her musings shaking her head, she really needed to read less soul mate fanfic and sleep more.

She met him at the counter, and he rubbed at the back of his neck. His dark hair a little more unkempt than the last two days. It must be his day off.

“Hi, what can I get for you?” Rey asked him and he blushed to his ears as the peeked out of his hair.

“Uhm… Black coffee… one of those berry scones….” His eyes shifted back and forth, why was he so nervous?

“That’ll be it.” He said in a rush. 

“Ben? Right?” She asked, marking his cup, the first day he had a bigger order but the last two her just coffee and a pastry.

He looked at her a bit surprised. 

“For the cup? I think that’s the name you gave me yesterday.” Did she get it wrong?

“You remembered.” He said not hiding his surprise.

It was her turn to blush now.

“Yeah, you’ve been here the last couple of days, you’re hard to forget.” She said the last part before she could stop herself and she felt her nerves fire with anxiety. She nearly dropped her marker as she fumbled to put the lid on.

He blushed even harder but seemed to look almost relived.

“Would you want to go out some time?” Ben asked her.

Rey was surprised at the offer but couldn’t help but beam at him.

“Yes. I would like that.” She said uncapping the marker.

She wrote her name and number on his cup before pouring his coffee.

“Black? No need room for cream or sugar?” She wanted to be sure she got his order right.

“Black, yes.” He said with a hint of a smile on his face. She couldn’t remember him smiling the last two days and she liked the crinkle in his eyes and the dimples in his cheeks. 

She handed him the cup.

“Drink is on the house. Number is on the cup.” She told him as he reached for his wallet.

“Dinner will be on me then.” He said, nearly stumbling over a chair as he backed out of the café, like he didn’t want to take his eyes off of her.

She was left to alone in the shop after that and Rey smiled to herself as she pulled out her differential equations book, only a few more semesters and she’d be graduated with a double major in mechanical engineering and mathematics. With working nearly full time it had taken her four years to get this far. But she wasn’t going to complain, she was able to get through her course work, afford an apartment that wasn’t awful and was still able to get the occasional tattoo. 

She didn’t sleep much but she could do more of that after graduation when she only had to worry about a normal 9 to 5 job. She wasn’t going complain about her coffee shop job though. When it was slow, she was able to do some of her schoolwork and it was flexible enough to work with her class schedule. 

She had only been at her homework for a few minutes when her phone dinged.

 **Unknown** : _Hi Rey. This is Ben. From the coffee shop._

Rey grinned and was quick to respond and added him to her contacts.

 **Rey** : _Hi how’s your coffee?_

**Ben with tattoos** _: Good. So, about that date. When works for you?_

**Rey:** _Tonight after 6 or Friday… work and school keep me pretty busy_ :\

 **Ben with tattoos:** _Tonight works? Are you ok with sushi?_

 **Rey:** _I’ve never had it but I’m willing to try anything_.

 **Ben with tattoos** : _Would the place on Whitney work? I can pick you up if you want?_

 **Rey:** _Oh._

Rey wasn’t sure how she felt about a complete stranger knowing where she lived.

_I don’t live far from there I’ll meet you if that’s ok._

**Ben with tattoos:** _That sounds good. I’ll meet you there at 6?_

 **Rey** : _Yes, sounds good_ 😊

Rey sped through the remainder of the afternoon. Making sure to clean as she went so, she could leave as soon as the shop was closed, and the floor was mopped. She tried to focus on some of her homework but decided to save that for the next morning since she had the day off.

When she got home, she took a quick shower to wash the ever-present coffee smell off of her and wore a sundress instead of the long-sleeved shirts she wore at work. Poe didn’t have an issue with her tattoos, but he kept the air conditioning high enough that it was more comfortable to wear sleeves.

After a swipe of some lipstick and some mascara she ran down the stairs of her apartment complex waving to her neighbor Kaydel as she went. It was only three blocks to the sushi place, so she decided to walk and enjoy the fading summer weather. It also helped her to release some of her nerves. 

When she made it to the restaurant, she realized that she was a few minutes late and she hoped that he wouldn’t be offended.

She met the hostess at the door.

“How many?” The young woman asked her.

“Two? But my date may already be here?” She dug through her purse to find her phone.

“Oh, Rey?”

“Yes.” Pleased that she knew to look for her.

“Your party reserved a private room.” The woman said with a knowing smile.

“Oh.” Rey said surprised. She followed the hostess to one of the curtained off rooms where Ben was waiting for her. 

“Hi.” Ben said as he stood up, he brushed his hand through his hair and she realized it must be a nervous tic. It was a bit reassuring that he was nervous, too.

“Hi, sorry I’m late.” Rey said. “I had to close up before I could go home.”

“Oh. No worries.” Ben said pulling her chair out for her. Between the private room and the chair thing she was impressed.

“So, Ben. I realize now that I know nothing about you except that you take your coffee black, that you have tattoos, and that you are very polite.” She said a bit teasingly.

He blushed and smiled again she really did enjoy it when he did that.

“I’m an attorney at one of the law firms downtown, I got my law degree at University of Chicago, and I live on the west side of town by the zoo.” 

“That’s quite impressive.” Rey said, feeling a bit like she had imposter syndrome. He was graduated and probably had a master’s degree if he was working as an attorney.

“What about you?” He asked offering to pour her the tea that waitress brought them.

“Oh, ummm let’s see. I also have tattoos.” She said gesturing toward her arms, she noticed that his eyes flicked to the hand on the bicep, but he didn’t say anything. “I’m in year number 4 of 5 or 6, as I try to get this engineering degree finished and I drive a motorcycle when it isn’t raining.” 

He drew his eyes away from the ink that coated her arm and he looked a bit surprised, but at what part she couldn’t say.

“What kind of bike do you have?” He asked her as he dropped a napkin in his lap.

“An old vintage Triumph.” She told him, it was a bit beat up but she was proud of it.

“Really? That’s impressive. How did you get one of those?” 

Rey usually didn’t talk about her childhood on the first date, for many reasons, but she felt like if she was ever going to get past date number 3 she would need to open up some.

“My foster dad ran a junk yard, and someone had dropped it off. I was lucky enough to piece some of the parts together until I could get a job and afford the real parts it needed.”

Ben seemed impressed and she was glad that he didn’t seem to focus on the first part.

“I have a bike, too. That’s what I drove here, actually.”

“Really?” She asked as she tried to peak around the curtain to the front of the restaurant.

“I’ll show you when we’re done.” His smile showed crooked teeth and he was so precious her chest cracked a bit.

The rest of the evening flew by as Rey and Ben got to know one another and before she knew it, he was paying the bill and she was eagerly waiting to go see his bike. 

It was a BMW and it looked like if it was an animal it might sting. It matched his aesthetic though, all black and chrome.

“It suits you.” Rey said as she ran her hand over the leather seat.

“Thanks.” He was standing close enough to her that she could feel his warmth radiating from him. She couldn’t help but look and notice that his tattoo of the hand reaching out was very feminine and seemed to actually reach out to her own tattoo.

She reached her hand out but stopped from touching him.

“Where did you get this tattoo?” Rey asked him and she looked up to meet his eyes, unable to stop herself from looking at his lips when he was this close.

“Uhm…. 3 T’s tattoos.” Ben said, swallowing thickly. His eyes dipped down to her own lips she could feel butterflies come to life in her stomach.

The magical moment was broken as gears in Rey’s brain clicked into place.

“Wait… What…. I’m gonna kill her. You… Wait… Are you Ben Solo?” Rey asked, all of the parts falling together.

“What? Yes?” Ben said looking alarmed and bit confused. “Is something wrong?” He asked her as he looked at the complimentary tattoos on their arms.

“Can you take me somewhere?” She said, her temper bubbling up.

“Yeah, yes.” Ben said as he quickly moved to unlock his helmet, which he offered her. She waved it off.

“No, we’re not going far.”

He got on the bike and she hopped on behind him, relishing in the firm press of him against the inside of her thighs.

“Where are we going?” The muffled sound of his voice came through the helmet.

“3 T’s.” She said as she rested her hands on his ribs.

“What? Why?”

“Because I have a hunch about something. You go to see Rose for your tattoos?” Rey asked him, already knowing the answer.

“Yeah, how’d you know?” 

“She does mine, too.” Rey shouted over the roar of the engine. 

It was only a few blocks away from where they ate, Rey only left the west end neighborhood to go to in person classes, which usually only involved labs.

Rey hopped off the back of the bike before Ben could even get the kickstand down and was soon tugging him into the shop behind her.

“Rose!” She bellowed into the shop as the bell announced their arrival. She had known Rose since she moved to this city and they worked at the coffee shop together.

Rose came out of her room looking concerned until she caught sight of Ben taking off his helmet, at which point she grinned excitedly.

“Hey, I didn’t know you two knew each other.” She said, as if this wasn’t part of her plan all along.

Rey knew a bullshitter when she saw one and Rose was definitely one.

“Drop the shit. Explain this.” Rey said standing next to Ben and pointing to the hands that were reaching for each other.

“What… They’re hands.” Rose said feigning ignorance.

Rey narrowed her eyes in a scowl and Ben just seemed a bit dumbfounded as he watched the two women.

Rose rolled her eyes giving up the ghost.

“I’ve been wanting you guys to meet for so long…” Rose said frustrated as she started to explain. You’d be perfect for one another. It would have worked too if Ben ever left his house for anything besides work and if you weren’t so busy with school and work.” Rose said, as if this was something reasonable.

“I’m confused.” Ben said.

“Rose is playing matchmaker.” Rey said heatedly.

“Ah.” Ben said, as if he wasn’t surprised.

“What it isn’t a crime. I have a 100% match rate. Phasma and Mitaka, Finn and Poe… You guys have seemed to get together on your own accord, though.” She said innocently.

Ben cleared his throat. “Uhm…Rose you sent me to her shop to get your coffee order the other day.” Ben said quietly.

“Well, fine… Maybe I meddled a little. But did you have a nice time?” Rose asked. “On your date, I mean?”

“Yes, but we have complimenting tattoos and we were strangers!” Rey said exasperatedly, starting to lose steam, they did have a really nice time.

“Look, if it helps you got yours first. You wanted that Mr. Darcy, Kylo Ren hand porn thing, which Ben modeled for.” She said waving her hand gesturing vaguely. “Then Ben said I had free reign for his piece on his arm. I couldn’t resist.” Seeing that this was not swaying them to being grateful she tried a different method of argument. “Do either of you have any idea how much work went into the math trying to make sure that I put them at the appropriate places on your bodies?” Rose said as if it pained her.

Rey was unimpressed but knew that Rose was never going to admit to being wrong. 

“Ben, we’re going.” She said as she turned on her heel.

“Oh, ok.” He said nodding as if at a loss for what to say and trailed after her out of the shop.

“I’m sorry about her.” Rey said under her breath, fearing everything had been ruined.

“I’ve known her since grade school, this isn’t surprising.” Ben said off handedly.

At that Rey burst out laughing and before long Ben was joining her. She was glad he joined her, she was laughing enough that she would have felt a bit mad if he hadn’t.

“She told me about her friend from the coffee shop a few times and had invited me to a few of her parties… But I hate that kind of stuff.” Ben gave as an explanation.

“I think she tried getting me to come by when you had an appointment with her but I always took it as kind of intrusive, tattooing can be really personal and I didn’t think you’d want me gawking at you.” She could tell he was trying to bite back a grin.

“So, Mr. Darcy, huh?” He asked, eye glinting mischievously in the streetlights.

“What can I say, I’m soft for tall and broody.” Rey said quietly, hoping he would get her meaning.

“I’m told that I brood very, well.” He told her as he stepped into her space, taking her hand in his.

“So, this isn’t weird?” Rey asked, needing a bit more reassurance.

“No. Is it weird for you?” He asked, a look of concern crossing his features.

“I think it’s just weird enough.” Rey said, her eyes drawn to his mouth again.

Ben dipped down to kiss her, and a thrill ran through her.

When she pulled back, she smiled at him. “Want to take me home?” She asked hopeful.

Ben nodded. “What’s your address?”

“Oh, I meant yours.” Rey said coyly. 

A slow smile crept over Ben’s face. “Yes, ma’am.” He said getting onto the bike.

Rey’s homework could wait until tomorrow after lunch. 


End file.
